Since deer and goats are both ruminants, it is not surprising that they can share the same foods.
However, goats still need more variety than they will get from eating just deer corn, so be sure to feed them other things as well.
Let’s look further into this.
Is deer corn good for goats?
Yes, in a few ways, deer corn is good for goats.
For one thing, they are likely to really enjoy it.
As I said, deer and goats are both ruminants, meaning that they can eat a lot of the same foods.
Deer corn, as the name suggests, is often used to feed deer during the winter months.
So, your goats will enjoy eating it, and this can be really beneficial to their overall health.
Beyond that, though, there are a number of specific health benefits to eating deer corn.
For one thing, it is a good source of fiber.
Fiber is a vital part of your goat’s diet, and helps everything move smoothly through its gut.
They are also a good source of carbohydrates, which are another important part of your goat’s diet.
If you spread the corn out over a large area on your goat’s pasture, this can help them to eat more slowly, and prevent them from overfeeding on the corn.
This will make it still more beneficial for their diet.
All corns are rich in vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals in the body’s cells, which can damage them over time and cause degenerative illnesses.
Good sources of antioxidants are vital for your goat’s health and wellbeing.
Finally, they are also good for your goat’s eyes, as deer corn is rich in a number of compounds, such as carotene, which reduces the degeneration of the eyes.
Now, let’s consider the caveats.
Is deer corn bad for goats?
So, as you can see, deer corn is good for goats in many ways.
It is not inherently bad for your goats, and will not cause them immediate harm.
That said, there are a number of things to keep in mind when feeding your goats deer corn.
Moderation is the most important thing.
A goat’s diet should consist mostly of hay and/or forage.
This should make up around 75% of what they eat.
Deer corn you should see as a treat on the side, something they eat occasionally for some extra benefit.
If they eat too much, though, they will not get the nutrients they need from the rest of their diet, and will become nutrient deficient in a number of categories.
Feed them deer corn once or twice a week, and again, be sure to spread it over a large part of their pasture to ensure they don’t eat too much.
The other, final, caveat about whether not corn is safe for goats is that it consists of a number of parts, and the outsides can be quite tough and hard to eat.
So, are these safe for goats?
Can goats eat the outside of deer corn?
Some would advise against feeding goats deer corn due to the tough outer husks of the corn.
While it is good advice to be careful of how much they eat for this reason, it isn’t really a reason to outright stop feeding them deer corn.
You can most likely get husked deer corn at specialist livestock feed stores, so this might be your best option if you can find it.
This will eliminate any chance of them hurting their teeth on the tough husks, although this is already fairly unlikely.
Grain in general is a bit of a question mark when it comes to a goat’s diet, so let’s look at some advice on how often to give them grains.
How often should I feed my goats grain?
It really depends on how your goats are eating.
If they are getting hay and forage, then you could do just fine without ever giving them grain.
As I’ve said, it’s really best to just see it as an occasional addition to their diet on top of what they ordinarily eat.
If they are not getting any forage, then a pound and a half per day is the absolute maximum, on top of the hay they are eating.
This includes deer corn. In general, grain isn’t really favored over hay or forage.
Where possible, feed them on hay and forage, and provide grains as an addition, here and there.
Deer corn can be a beneficial addition to your goat’s diet, then, but there are a great many important caveats to consider.
Too much of it can quickly become problematic for a number of reasons, so deer corn should only make up a small part of it.
Make sure to swap out the deer corn regularly for other foods, and not to let them fill up on deer corn.
More in Grains
- Can Goats Eat Barley?
- Can Goats Eat Bread?
- Can Goats Eat Corn?
- Can Goats Eat Crackers?
- Can Goats Eat Deer Corn?
- Can Goats Eat Rice?
- Can Goats Eat Oats?
- Can Goats Eat Popcorn?
- Can Goats Eat Sorghum?
- Can Goats Eat Wheat?